The King of Saudi Arabia, Malek Abdollah, has invited the head of Iran's Expediency Council, Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani, to travel to his country. Nameh News reports that in a personal letter to Hashemi Rafsanjani, the Saudi King invited the Iranian senior cleric to take part in the Haj ceremony.

Gholamali Rejai, Hashemi Rafsanjani's cultural aide, reported that this is the third time the Saudi King has extended such an invitation and he noted the Saudi King's familiar and friendly tone toward Ayatollah Hashemi.

It is still not clear if Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani will accept this invitation.

Malek Abdollah, however, sent a message of congratulations to Hassan Rohani when he won the June presidential election. Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani was a chief supporter of the Rohani campaign.

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